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OVERVIEW
 Since
its inception in 1906, the Faculty of Agricultural and Food
Sciences has been a leader in the agri-food industry in Manitoba.
The standard of excellence it has attained in its teaching
and research programs is recognized across Canada and around
the world.
The Faculty
of Agricultural and Food Sciences has earned a reputation
for its high-calibre teaching programs and its friendly helpful
staff. Students benefit not only from the expertise of staff
in the Faculty, but also from the close proximity of other
faculties on campus, federal research facilities, and a vibrant
Winnipeg-based agricultural community.
Vision
Statement
"Gateway
to the Future of Agri-Food Knowledge"
Mission
Statement
Provide
leadership in education and research by advancing the knowledge
and understanding of science related to production, processing,
preservation and marketing of food and other agricultural
products consistent with:
- a
dependable supply of safe and nutritious food;
- the
viability of the agri-food industry and the rural economy;
and
- the
conservation of the natural resource base and enhancement
of environmental quality.
History
The Faculty
had its beginnings in Winnipeg in 1906 with the formation
of the Manitoba Agricultural College, located on the south
bank of the Assiniboine River (today's Tuxedo area of Winnipeg).
The first agricultural diplomas were conferred in 1908 and
the first agricultural degrees in 1911.
Fort Garry Campus, circa 1930 |
Home Economics
students began enrolling in the college in 1910, but several
years elapsed before degrees were conferred. It wasn't until
eight years later, in 1918, that the first graduates of the
degree program were recognized.
In 1913,
the Manitoba Agricultural College moved to the site of the
Fort Garry campus which later became the University of Manitoba.
In 1924, the administration of the Manitoba Agricultural College,
now the Faculty of Agriculture and Home Economics, was transferred
to the University of Manitoba.
Agriculture
and Home Economics became separate faculties in 1970 and,
in July 1991, the name was changed from Faculty of Agriculture
to the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences.
Educational
Programs
Using
the knowledge and skills gained in the Faculty, graduates
have found rewarding careers in all sectors of the agri-food
industry from food processing to finance and marketing...from
environmental work to international development.
The Faculty
offers four 4-year Bachelor's
degrees: Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Bachelor
of Science in Agribusiness, Bachelor of Science in Agroecology,
and Bachelor of Science in Food Science. These degrees are
designed to provide students with the skills needed for a
professional career in the agriculture and food industry.
Students will also have the education necessary for further
studies at the graduate level.
The two-year
Agriculture
Diploma combines academic study in the agricultural
sciences with practical activities and projects in a wide
range of agricultural subjects. Students learn to use this
knowledge to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility
of a variety of alternative agricultural practices.
In cooperation
with the Faculty of Engineering, the Department of Biosystems
Engineering offers students a unique education in biological,
as well as physical and environmental sciences with the Bachelor
degree in Biosystems Engineering. The two-year Pre-Veterinary
Studies program is required for admission to the Western College
of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan in
Saskatoon.
Research
Programs
As the
new millennium begins, the Faculty of Agricultural and Food
Sciences is addressing the increasingly complex challenges
facing the agri-food industry in areas such as crop diversification,
environmental protection, agricultural sustainability and
value-added processing.
The Faculty
engages in multidisciplinary research within the university
community, as well as through the formation of partnerships
with the agri-food industry, the provincial and federal governments,
and other universities.
Facilities
Research
facilities at the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
include two off-campus field stations - the Glenlea Research
Station which accommodates multidisciplinary and livestock
research and is home to the National Centre for Livestock and the Environment, and the Ian N. Morrison Research Farm in Carman, MB, where the Faculty
conducts the majority of its crop research. The Carman station
is also home to the University of Manitoba - Carman and Region
Facility, a distance education and crop science research centre
opened in 1998.
On-campus
facilities for the Faculty include the Plant Science Field
Station with a vegetable storage research facility, and the
T.K. Cheung Centre for Animal Science Research which is a state-of-the-art large
animal research facility. Other facilities include a pilot-scale
food processing plant, as well as greenhouses, growth chambers
and several special laboratories equipped to conduct research
utilizing modern techniques in biotechnology. The Canadian Wheat Board Centre for Grain Storage Research is a 4.5 million facility for conduction research
on various aspects of handling, drying and storing of grains,
oilseeds, pulses and their derived products. And the Faculty is actively involved in the research conducted at the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals.
International
Development
The Faculty's
partnerships extend beyond the Canadian border to countries
such as China, India and Uruguay. The Faculty has a longstanding
relationship with organizations such as the Canadian International
Development Agency, the Association of Universities and Colleges
in Canada, and the International Development Research Centre
to conduct research and provide teaching assistance at agricultural
institutions in developing countries. Academic staff from
these institutions often receive advanced agricultural training
in the Faculty.
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